Very active discussion going on on Linkedin regarding the outlook for reprographics businesses in 2011 and "what to do" to succeed

The other day, a gent (Michael) from Atlantic Blueprint Company, a three-location, 80 year old reprographics company that operates in the NYC area, started a discussion on Linkedin - subject: "What will happen in 2011 with Repro Shops??. Where do we go from here??"

That post has already provoked several responses, including responses from one IRGA Board Member, one owner of a very well respected reprographics company in the DC area, and two members of ARC's team, among others.

I encourage YOU to join that discussion. Note: I'm sure that you have to be a member of Linkedin to participate in that discussion (but sign-up is free) and that you have to join the "reprographics" group (which is also free) to get to that discussion.

Here's what Mike said in his initial post:

"What will happen in 2011 with Repro Shops??. Where do we go from here??

I am currently employed in a repro shop in the Northeast....well established 2nd generation ownership. As you can expect our revenue is down over 40% over the previous 2 years. What can we do??? The business has changed and will not come back. The print on paper model is long gone. We invested in a "PlanRoom" solution in 2006 and guess what happened...nothing. Subs dont want to pay for plans and the GC's dont care...they just want bids for there projects....So we work with a couple of GC's and home builders...charge a small fee for scanning and posting a job to download for free and thats all the revenue we get. So we are now left with the other services we provide....(business printing, large color and mounting, laminating, traditional quick copy, small volumes of enginerring copy, large BW and Color Scanning....etc.) In those areas volume and revenue is consistant but not growing. Where do we go from here...whats next or are we going to completely obsolete in a short period of time??? I would like some feedback on this....where do we go from here???"